Corporation tax paid early

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My client has returned to Australia, and her company has ceased to trade. She has asked me to sort everything out and get it struck off. I have done the final accounts and computed the corporation tax. The plan is to pay the tax, close the bank account and ask Companies House to strike the company off. However, if the corporation tax is paid early, will an early payment credit arise, giving rise to income/taxable income post cessation? The amount will be neglible I am sure, but I don't want to fall into a trap and have to submit another tax return, or find that HMRC object to the striking off. Is this a risk, and if so any suggestions?

There is also a box for paying someone other than the company, eg you. That would solve the problem (of course you need the clients permission).

I doubt HMRC would chase tax on the tiny amount of interest due on early payment, but if it worries you just accrue for it in the final accounts and do them up to the date you prepare the tax comp.

If the shareholder extracted the retained profits before the DS01 was filed at Companies House (and they do not exceed £25k) you should also work out 4% interest on the overdrawn balance on her loan account and add that to taxable profits in the final accounts.

You should do this up to the date the DS01 was filed just to be on the safe side (so it is clear that the loan was not repaid by a final dividend) unless the final distribution was formally approved by your client at a later date, in which case you should use this instead.

By the way, no need to wait for permission from HMRC under the defunct ESC C16 now. Under the new statutory instrument it is all self-assessed.